Traveling scaffold for flagpoles and the like.



J. A. OLAPSON.

TRAVELING SGAFFOLD FOR FLAGPOLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1909.'

957,473@ Patented May 10, 1910.

2 8HEBT8-SHEET 1.

Anollw l ORA-NAP! CD PHOTOALIYIOQIAPNERS. WASHINGTON. D. a

J. A. OLAFSON.

TRAVELING SGAPFOLD FOR FLAGPOLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1909. 97,473. Patented May 10, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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TRAVELING SCAFFOLD FOR FLAGPOLES AND THE LIKE.

asters.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHAN ALBERT OLAF- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Traveling Scaffolds for Flagpoles and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traveling scaffolds for flag poles and the like. Its object is the production of a device of the kind designed to travel up and down the pole while carrying a passenger thereby affording an easy and safe means for painting the pole, hoisting the flag etc. The device includes means operable by the passenger for hoist ing and lowering the device at will.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described in the specifications, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specifications and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of a portion of the device.

Like reference characters indicate similar parts throughout.

My invention consists of a main frame composed of upper bars 2, 2, lower bars 3, 3 and side bars 41; side bars 4: being hinged to 3, 3 and riveted to 2, 2. Top bars 2, 2 have their adjacent extremities bent up- Wardly and either extremity pivotally engages an ear of collar 5, which collar is made of two similar concave sections designed to unite about the pole A. The concave surface of this collar is lined with felt or other soft material to avoid injury to the pole surface. The adjacent extremities of lower bars 3, 3 form a collar 5 similar to collar 5. The two sections of collars 5 and 5 are held together and in close contact with the pole by nut and bolt arrangement as shown thus affording a means for increasing or diminishing the friction between the collar and pole and allowing for the possible taper of the pole.

7 is a drive wheel having its axle journaled in bar 2 and a rope 7 carried by its concave periphery. A cog-wheel 8 is also carried by the axle of wheel 7 between that wheel and the bar 2'. A sprocket wheel 9 is also carried by bar 2 between the axle of wheel 7 and the flag pole in such a man- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 11, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

Serial No. 501,498.

ner that its periphery engages cog wheel 8. Friction wheel 11 is arranged on the axis of sprocket 9 between that sprocket and the bar 2 in such a manner that its periphery firmly engages the surface of the pole. Its composition is preferably hard rubber or similar material, corrugated if desired.

10 is a sprocket wheel carried by bar 2 in such a manner that its periphery meshes with that of wheel 9 and it carries on its axis a friction wheel 11 contacting with the flag pole in a similar manner to friction wheel 11 but on the opposite side of the pole.

12, 12 represent two similar depending bars having their upper extremities secured to bars 2, 2 respectively and their lower extremities uniting in a collar 13, similar to collars 5 and 5", about the pole and forming part of a subsidiary framework.

14, 14 represent a pair of vertical bars depending, one on either side of the pole, from collar 18 and supporting collar 15 which is similar in construction to collar 13. From collar 15 the bar 1a is bent to the right at an angle of 90 degrees to form a rack 16 on which rides a keeper 17.

18 is a transverse bar having a shoulder 19 abutting the flag pole, said shoulder being covered with rubber and concave in I form at its point of contact, and an upturned extremity 20 pivoted to keeper 17 18 is a companion bar to 18 and is pivoted to the lower extremity of rod 14 and is provided with a shoulder 19 similar to shoulder 19 and designed to ride the pole in a similar manner to 19. Ropes 21 and 21 engage the outward extremities of bars 18 and 18 respectively; said ropes passing through a pulley 22 secured to either side bar of the main frame and secured to anchors 23. The purpose of ropes 21, 21 is to regulate the friction between the shoulders 19, 19 and the flag pole. The friction exerted upon the pole by the several collars 5, 5 13 and 15 together with that exerted by the shoulders 19, 19 is sufficient to hold the machine with the added weight of a passenger stationary upon the pole at any pointg-this friction may be increased or diminished as desired through the nut and bolt arrangement on the collars and by means of bars 18, 18 which are pivoted at their upturned extremities and have shoulders 19, 19 engaging the pole and are actuated by ropes 21, 21.

The passenger to be carried up or down the pole with the machine may stand upon the lower bar 3 from which location he can pull the rope 7 that will turn wheel 7 with its axis upon which is cog-wheel 8 that sets sprocket 9 in action together with friction wheel 11 carried on its axis; sprocket 9 meshes with sprocket 10 thus setting it with friction wheel 11 in action and so causing the device to travel up or down over the surface of the pole as desired.

\Vith my machine anyone can conveniently and safely paint or varnish the pole or travel up and down its surface for any purpose whatsoever.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is.

1. In a device of the class described, a

- main frame composed of upper, lower and side members, said upper and lower members being frictionally arranged upon the pole, a drive wheel 7 with cog-wheel 8 arranged on one of said upper members, wheels 9 and 10 arranged on upper members on opposite sides of the pole and meshing with each other, friction wheels 11 and 11 carried axially by wheels 9 and 10 respectively and engaging the pole, depending members 12, 12 secured to the upper members and'uniting in collar 13, collar 15 secured by members 1a, 1 1 to the vaforesaid collar and having a rack, with keeper 17, extending therefrom and transverse members 18, 18 with actuating means depending therefrom pivoted to members 14 and 17 respectively and provided with shoulders 19, 19 for engaging the pole.

2. In a device of the class described, a main frame composed of upper, lower and side members and frictionally arranged upon the pole, traveling mechanism arranged on the upper members, depending members 12, 12 secured to the upper members and uniting in collar 13, collar 15 secured by members 1%, 1 1' to the aforesaid collar and having a rack, with keeper, extending therefrom and transverse members 18, 18 with actuating means depending therefrom pivoted to members 14 and 17 respectively and provided with shoulders 19, 19 for engaging the pole.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHAN ALBERT OLAFSON.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE MAPP, CHARLES A. ANDERSON. 

